Napoli face midfield crisis as Conte prepares for Atalanta clash | OneFootball

The Castel Volturno sports center reopens its doors tomorrow, bringing an end to the two-day break for the Azzurri squad. The most anticipated event is the return of Antonio Conte, who thus concludes his brief family break in Turin, not without some background noise. The controversies sparked by his harsh outburst after the Bologna match, aimed at the management of the national teams, have created a charged atmosphere. The coach is preparing to meet with the few remaining players in Naples, during an interim phase before reuniting with the many key players currently away with their respective national teams.

Conte returns to Castel Volturno: charged atmosphere and a halved squad awaiting the internationals

The real crux of the technical and environmental confrontation is expected next week, when the full squad will be available ahead of the crucial clash against Atalanta. The first to return will be the Italians—Buongiorno, Di Lorenzo, and Politano—expected back after tonight’s match at San Siro against Norway. Next, Lobotka is awaited, who will be playing tomorrow against Germany. The wait will extend until Tuesday for Elmas and Lang, but especially for McTominay and Gilmour, who will be vying for a World Cup spot against Hojlund (the latter was absent yesterday due to illness). The last to pass through the gates of Castel Volturno will be defender Olivera, expected between Tuesday and Wednesday after his match in Florida against the USA. Conte will have to immediately immerse himself in managing these dynamics, focusing attention on the players available so as not to lose ground in the league and in the cups.

The absence of the internationals and serious injuries (such as those to De Bruyne and Anguissa) have highlighted the vulnerability of the Azzurri midfield. This situation is strongly fueling speculation about the January transfer market. The name that keeps coming up is Kobbie Mainoo, the talented 2005-born player from Manchester United. The youngster, who had already expressed his desire to leave the Red Devils in the summer, remains at the top of Napoli’s list, attracted both by his underage status and his technical qualities, which are crucial for strengthening the department.

However, with the January window still far off, Conte must optimize internal resources. To make up for the shortages, the coach is ready to deploy Elmas again as a mezzala, while on the left flank, Neres and Lang will become indispensable. Aware that he cannot overuse Elmas in every match, Conte will have to find alternative solutions for energy management. These include the recovery of Gilmour and, not least, the revival of the double playmaker system, a tactical setup already tested in the final part of last season, including the crucial match against Inter. There is also the possibility of giving minutes during the match to the young prospect Vergara, thus giving the starters a breather and sending important signals for the future.

Andrea Alati

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.